Going to start learning app development(android)

[Kira0172]

Hi guys, so i have been wanting to develop something. my experience with this stuff: html/css:P. So basicly i don't know much yet, however i have a lot time to learn. so, i wanted to get into app development.

Is there anyone that has experience with this? could you give me some tips that you wished you had done when you started learning developing android apps? 

 

Oh and how do i set everyrthing up? 
I thought i would be OK if i just followed this: http://developer.android.com/training/basics/firstapp/index.html

i downloaded the "android sdk" first, because it said it will automaticly download eclipse too. so when i go into the eclipse folder and try the .exe i get this:

 

I have a moto G, and a win7 system by the way.

 

I hope i could get some help/tips from you guys:)

 

Thanks, bai

[fizzlesticks]

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jdk7-downloads-1880260.html

[Xploda]

I think it would be better if you started learning Java first, instead of jumping straight into Android development.

I have a solid knowledge of Java and software design myself, but it still wasn't easy to make the transition to Android development.

 

If i understand correctly, you don't have much experience yet with programming and the logic behind it?

It's really a requirement that you at least know the basics first.

There are plenty of tutorials on the internet, but i can recommend this book too: http://www.murach.com/books/javp/index.htm (it's the stuff we had to use at college ). 

 

The Oracle help pages sometimes provide a good source of information too, for learning more about Java.

 

Your HTML knowledge might be useful, as Android uses XML for its layout files.

 

I know it might be frustrating to create basic Java console applications first, but it will help you a lot in the end, cause you will have a better understanding of what is going on.

 

Let me know if you have any more questions.

 

Hope this helps  .

 

(By the way, are you from The Netherlands or Belgium? Cause it says "Mijn Computer"  )

[Kira0172]

I think it would be better if you started learning Java first, instead of jumping straight into Android development.

I have a solid knowledge of Java and software design myself, but it still wasn't easy to make the transition to Android development.

 

If i understand correctly, you don't have much experience yet with programming and the logic behind it?

It's really a requirement that you at least know the basics first.

There are plenty of tutorials on the internet, but i can recommend this book too: http://www.murach.com/books/javp/index.htm (it's the stuff we had to use at college ). 

 

The Oracle help pages sometimes provide a good source of information too, for learning more about Java.

 

Your HTML knowledge might be useful, as Android uses XML for its layout files.

 

I know it might be frustrating to create basic Java console applications first, but it will help you a lot in the end, cause you will have a better understanding of what is going on.

 

Let me know if you have any more questions.

 

Hope this helps  .

 

(By the way, are you from The Netherlands or Belgium? Cause it says "Mijn Computer"  )

Alright thanks! I thaught you just use java to create those apps, but i guess they are kinda different, but are the same in some ways?

 

Oh and i am from the Netherlands^^

[Xploda]

Alright thanks! I thaught you just use java to create those apps, but i guess they are kinda different, but are the same in some ways?

 

Oh and i am from the Netherlands^^

Yes, Android apps are written in Java, that's why you need Java knowledge first  .

The interaction between your UI code and the underlying application logic will be a bit different, but the application logic itself will remain the same (but maybe tweaked a little for mobile devices).

What i often do when working on an app, is write a normal console application first, to test my code, and then implement it into the app itself.

 

After you have learned Java, you'll have to learn how an Android UI works exactly, and what the best practices are. You can find those things on the site you linked earlier (developer.android.com).

 

It would be good if you got into the matter of object oriented software design too (design patterns etc), in order to know the most efficient way to structure the code of your app and to learn more about persistence etc.

 

I'm from Belgium btw  .

[MikkoP]

Programming on Android isn't any different from normal Java programming. It's pure Java but Google has developed a bunch of classes and APIs that you can implement in your application. The same way you can create your own classes and use them in the program.

 

Also, knowing how the XML in Android layouts work isn't necessarily must to know, because Eclipse allows you to just drag and drop elements into places with a visual editor and enter the properties into textboxes in the Properties window. To be honest, if I hadn't the visual editor, I don't think I could remember all the possible parameters and such and most probably it would require a few times as many runs as now to get the layout working as I want it.

 

But of cource it is good to know the basics, like how to print text in the console, because it's an easy way to debug your Android application too. (Though there is the Log class that should be used...)